Local businessman buys DeLand Moose Lodge property

Friday

Apr 26, 2013 at 7:17 PMApr 27, 2013 at 12:08 AM

BOB KOSLOWBUSINESS WRITER

DELAND — Ormond Beach businessman Chris Calabucci is hoping to capitalize on the return of Stetson University's football program and the university's push to increase enrollment at its DeLand campus. Calabucci in early March purchased the former Fogleman Studio building at 143 N. Woodland Blvd. for $390,000 and opened the downtown sports apparel shop, Sportsanity, in the 113-year-old structure. Earlier this month, he bought the DeLand Moose Lodge 2216 buildings and property for $360,000. The two Moose Lodge buildings at 614 S. Alabama Ave. are on a 2.86-acre lot. The site is only half developed and partially cleared to allow for vehicle parking. The property also sits next to Melching Field at Conrad Park, where Stetson University, DeLand High School and others play baseball. It's also near Spec Martin Memorial Stadium, where Stetson University will host its Saturday football games beginning this fall and where DeLand High School football already plays on Friday nights. “Our plan is to renovate the larger building and make it a hub for tailgating parties for Stetson football,” Calabucci said. “It has a banquet room, smaller meeting rooms and a bar. The rest of the year, we'll rent it out to organizations looking for meeting or event space.” The larger building has 6,352 square feet of space and a smaller building has 2,288 square feet of space. Both were built in 1953, according to Volusia County property records. Calabucci plans to use the smaller building for screen printing and embroidering operations associated with the sports apparel shop. “A lot of our business is focused on Stetson,” he said. “I see a good opportunity with Stetson football and them adding enrollment for DeLand to be an even more vibrant place. It's an up-and-coming area with what Stetson is doing and the coming of townhomes and studio apartments downtown.” The Loyal Order of Moose has been in the South Alabama Avenue buildings for longer than two generations, but could no longer financially stay, said Al Johns, the DeLand lodge administrator. “It's become way to much building to maintain,” Johns said. “We're not going away. We're staying in DeLand and looking for a smaller place.” DeLand Moose Lodge membership is down to about 200 where is was over 600 in past years, Johns said. The lodge members have rejected seven possible relocation sites already, but are still looking for a place to rent or buy. Calabucci said the Moose Lodge could stay in the facility for about two months before renovations begin. Calabucci owns Elite One Inc., a continuing education school with online and correspondence programs in a variety of professions. It's based in an Ormond Beach multi-tenant building that Calabucci and partners own at 1452 N. U.S. Highway 1.